Ideas For Stain Color With Brick

Matching Stain to Brick

• By matching the stain color to the brick, you don't accentuate either wood or brick, but you can unify the appearance of both elements. If you want to downplay either, this is the way to go. To choose a stain color that blends with the brick. Stain some sample pieces of wood and lean them against the brick. Stand back about 20 feet and squint your eyes. The stain sample that "disappears" against the brick will be your best match.

Matching Stain to Mortar

• Most people don't notice mortar color, but take a look at yours. It may be dark, light, or in between. It might be cool gray, or a shade of brown or taupe. By matching the stain color to the mortar, you can highlight the brick color, while still letting both elements flow.

Accentuate the Brick

• Complementary colors are those opposite each other on the color wheel. For instance, if your brick has strong orange and red tones, blue or green hued stains will really make it "pop"--and vice versa; your wood will stand out more when next to complementary-colored brick. Most paint stores can mix stains in a wide range of shades besides the standard natural wood colors.

Daring Stain Colors

• While you can buy stain in daring colors like magenta and bright green, bear in mind that it can be hard to stain over them later should you decide to change to a more conservative look. Consumer Reports cautions that "creative" colors can affect the resale value of your home. By all means, choose a fun, punchy stain color if your decorating taste is eclectic and avant-garde. Just be prepared to change it to dark brown if you plan to sell your home, or if you simply get tired of the color.

Black Stain

• Some woods--particularly those with distinctive grain patterns, like oak or mahogany--can look dramatic when stained black, or an extremely deep brown. Black is a neutral color because it goes with almost everything, and can make brick color appear very rich.

Use an Online Color Tool

• Several paint companies have online color visualizers. Upload photos of the interior or exterior of your home, and digitally manipulate or change colors to "try them on." If you're not sure which direction you want to go, this can give you some great ideas without leaving your computer desk.